Our jobs have a great influence on our lives. We spend hours at work, planning our schedule around work hours and trying to schedule nonwork activities so that they don’t conflict with work. This experience is not unique to modern times. Our ancestors planned their lives around their work just as we do today. Learning more about the occupations of our ancestors can give us deeper insights into what their lives were like. One interesting kind of work from the past was the occupation of fletchers.
History of Fletchers
Fletchers are skilled craftsmen who specialize in making arrows for archery, hunting, and, historically, warfare.
Even though arrow makers have been around for thousands of years, they gained prominence in medieval Europe, when crossbows and longbows were used.
The armies of the time used hundreds of thousands of arrows, especially during the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453). Fletchers, bowyers (those who made the bows), and stringers (people who strung the bows) were in high demand during wars. Employed by kings, nobles, and armies, they were so important that they received special privileges and tax exemptions.
Around 1370, the Worshipful Company of Fletchers trade guild was created. Before then, fletchers were combined in the same guild as the bow makers. Forming their own trade guild helped fletchers to ensure that high-quality arrows were produced. Still in existence as one of the oldest guilds of the City of London's 110 livery companies, the guild is now mostly a charitable organization that upholds the tradition of archery. Fletchers still make arrows for archery, hunting, and historical reenactments.
Parts of an Arrow
A typical arrow has four parts: the shaft, the arrowhead, the fletching, and the nock. Each part of the arrow plays a role in helping it fly.
The Shaft
The shaft of the arrow is the main body of the arrow to which all other parts are attached. Historically, the shaft was made from wood. In modern times, arrow shafts can also be made from aluminum, fiberglass, or other materials.
The Arrowhead
The arrowhead is the business end of an arrow. Some arrow tips are sharp, and others are blunt, depending on the intended use of the arrow.
Historically, arrowheads came in different sizes for hunting smaller game, such as rabbits or birds, and bigger game, such as deer or bears. Arrowheads meant for war and defense had a different shape entirely. A blunter arrowhead could be used for target practice.
The Fletching
Fletching refers to the feathers placed on the opposite end of the arrow from the arrow tip. These feathers are not just for decoration. They actually give the arrow stability and prevent wobbling while the arrow is in flight.
The arrow fletching typically consists of 3 or 4 feathers (also called vanes) attached to the shaft at symmetrical angles. The angling of the feathers helps the arrow spin as it flies.
The Nock
The nock is a small notch cut into the fletching end of the arrow shaft. The nock allows the archer to secure the arrow to the bowstring. When the archer pulls back the bowstring and then releases it, the force of the string in the nock propels the arrow forward.
Historically, the nock was carved directly into the shaft. In modern times, nocks can be separate parts that are attached to the shaft. This separation makes it easier to replace broken nocks. It is also much more difficult to carve a nock directly into an aluminum or fiberglass shaft than it is to carve a nock into a wooden shaft.
How an Arrow Is Made
Some fletchers participated in making all 4 parts of an arrow, while others specialized in making a specific part. Once all 4 parts were constructed and put together, the fletcher would have a finished arrow.
After choosing wood for the arrow, usually birch, ash, or hazel wood, the fletcher stripped and shaped it to the desired size for the arrow. The size of the arrow was determined by what it would be used for. A heavier arrow shaft gives the arrow more power and penetration upon impact with a target, but a lighter arrow shaft flies faster. The arrow flight also depends on the size of the bow the arrow is paired with.
The fletcher would make an arrowhead out of stone or metal and attach it to the tip of the arrow shaft.
Fletchers used various techniques to secure the arrowhead. Some arrowheads had a hollow section to fit over the end of the shaft. It would be secured with a thin piece of metal, a binding cord, or glue or resin made from materials such as pine pitch, beeswax, or animal fat.
Once the arrowhead was fitted, the fletcher chose bird feathers, such as swan, goose, or turkey feathers, of the right size and shape to stabilize and increase the arrow's accuracy. After trimming the feathers to the right size, the fletcher attached them to the shaft with glue or strapping. Lastly, a nock was cut into the fletching end of the shaft using a small blade. The fletcher now had a finished arrow ready for use.
Surnames from the Fletcher Occupation
Surnames are a part of our identity and often reflect our heritage, but it wasn’t always so. As communities expanded, surnames became a way to distinguish individuals and, over time, became hereditary.
Some last names originated from a person’s occupation, such as fletcher. If your last name is Fletcher, knowing the background of your name may give you insights into your ancestors’ lives.
The name Fletcher is derived from the Old French word flecher, which means “maker of arrows.” While Fletcher is an occupational name, it could also come from the progenitor of a family from Normandy, named Jean de la Fléche, a noble who was granted land in England following the Norman conquest of AD 1066.
While the surname is mostly found in the British Isles and North America, other surnames derived from the fletcher occupation can be found in other languages:
Language | Surname | Meaning |
| Chinese | Zhang | to stretch, extend (may have denoted a bowmaker who stretched bow wood) |
| English | Arrasmith Benbow Bowman Stringer | arrowsmith bend the bow archer maker of bowstrings |
| German | Pfeilmacher | fletcher |
| Hungarian | Nyilas | archer, bowman |
| Italian | Fileccia Saitta | arrow, archer, fletcher |
| Polish | Sajdak | quiver maker, archer, fletcher |
| Scottish Gaelic | Mac an Fleisdeir (anglicized as Lister) | son of the arrow maker |
Do you have an occupational surname? Find out with FamilySearch’s surname search.
Finding Your Ancestors’ Trades
Learning about your ancestors’ occupations and background is not only interesting, but it can help you understand their lives and may lead you to add members to your family tree.
You can learn about your family’s occupations by using census records. In many countries, censuses included the occupations of people. Sometimes birth and death records, draft records, passenger lists, occupation directories, and obituaries also have information about how people earned their livings.
As you find more information about your ancestors and their lives, be sure to add what you find to your family tree.
Related Articles
At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
